About Shrewsbury

Shrewsbury is a vibrant, up and coming town coupled with a long and distinguished history. First recorded in a Charter of 901, Shrewsbury developed as a market town, aided by the natural defensive qualities of a large meander in the River Severn. The original Castle (which doubtless replaced the Saxon fortress) was built by Roger de Montgomery under the order of William the Conqueror and was rebuilt and enlarged by Edward II. Other prominent buildings include the Public Library, where Charles Darwin studied as a schoolboy, St. Chad's Church on Town Walls and the imposing Victorian Railway Station. The town also has a wealth of timber framed and Georgian houses, steep narrow streets and little alleys.

Shrewsbury's population is a little under 100,000 and the rural area covers some 210 square miles. It is located 40 miles west of Birmingham, which is the largest city in the midlands and a few miles east of the Welsh hills. Shrewsbury is surrounded by the ancient Shropshire hills of The Stiperstones, the Long Mynd, Wenlock Edge and the Wrekin. The county has a scenic landscape made famous in A. E. Houseman's The Shropshire Lad. North of Shrewsbury lies the site of the Battle of Shrewsbury (1403) where Henry IV defeated the rebellious Barons of the Welsh Marches and Hotspur was killed.

More recently the town has been undergoing considerable development in commercial and cultural areas. It is the regional shopping centre, served by numerous specialist shops as well as the two main shopping centres and the out of town retail parks. The town experiences a lively nightlife based around the numerous pubs, bars and restaurants. Other highlights of Shrewsbury include the Quarry Park, designed by Percy Thrower; the Abbey made famous in the Brother Cadfael detective novels of Ellis Peters and the annual international flower show.